Suppression of ras-mediated transformation and inhibition of tumor growth and angiogenesis by anthrax lethal factor, a proteolytic inhibitor of multiple MEK pathways

A multiscale cell-based model of tumor growth for chemotherapy assessment and tumor-targeted therapy through a 3D computational approach

OBJECTIVES

Computational modeling of biological systems is a powerful tool to clarify diverse processes contributing to cancer. The aim is to clarify the complex biochemical and mechanical interactions between cells, the relevance of intracellular signaling pathways in tumor progression and related events to the cancer treatments, which are largely ignored in previous studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A three-dimensional multiscale cell-based model is developed, covering multiple time and spatial scales, including intracellular, cellular, and extracellular processes. The model generates a realistic representation of the processes involved from an implementation of the signaling transduction network.

RESULTS

Considering a benign tumor development, results are in good agreement with the experimental ones, which identify three different phases in tumor growth. Simulating tumor vascular growth, results predict a highly vascularized tumor morphology in a lobulated form, a consequence of cells' motile behavior. A novel systematic study of chemotherapy intervention, in combination with targeted therapy, is presented to address the capability of the model to evaluate typical clinical protocols. The model also performs a dose comparison study in order to optimize treatment efficacy and surveys the effect of chemotherapy initiation delays and different regimens.

CONCLUSIONS

Results not only provide detailed insights into tumor progression, but also support suggestions for clinical implementation. This is a major step toward the goal of predicting the effects of not only traditional chemotherapy but also tumor-targeted therapies.

Recombinant anthrax lethal toxin inhibits cell motility and invasion in breast cancer cells through the dysregulation of Rho GTPases

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-associated death among women worldwide. Targeting breast cancer cell metastasis is an important therapeutic approach. The MAPK pathway is a key cell signaling pathway that plays a pivotal role in cellular invasion and migration. Numerous studies have identified the MAPK pathway as a way to target cell survival and motility. The present study treated MBA-MD-231 breast cancer cells with anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx), a potent MAPK inhibitor that selectively cleaves and inactivates all MEKs, as a potential therapeutic method to inhibit breast cancer cell migration. LeTx has been demonstrated to affect breast cancer cell migration. Cells treated with LeTx showed a significant decrease in motility, as observed using wound healing and random 2D motility assays. Additionally, cells treated with LeTx showed an increase in adhesion, which would explain the decrease in migration. Pull-down assays examining the activation status of the members of the Rho family of GTPases revealed an increase in RhoA activation accompanied by a decrease in Cdc42 activation following LeTx treatment. Finally, LeTx mediated a decrease in invasion using a Boyden chamber assay, which could be a result of the decrease in Cdc42 activation. The present study reported the effect of LeTx treatment on the migration, adhesion and invasion of breast cancer cells, demonstrating that this effect was associated with the dysregulation of the Rho GTPases, RhoA and Cdc42.

The Anthrax Toxin Receptor 1 (ANTXR1) Is Enriched in Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells Derived from Primary Tumor Cultures

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been shown to be the drivers of pancreatic tumor growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance, but our understanding of these cells is still limited by our inability to efficiently identify and isolate them. While a number of markers capable of identifying pancreatic CSCs (PaCSCs) have been discovered since 2007, there is no doubt that more markers are still needed. The anthrax toxin receptor 1 (ANTXR1) was identified as a functional biomarker of triple-negative breast CSCs, and PDAC patients stratified based on ANTXR1 expression levels showed increased mortality and enrichment of pathways known to be necessary for CSC biology, including TGF-β, NOTCH, Wnt/β-catenin, and IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signaling and epithelial to mesenchymal transition, suggesting that ANTXR1 may represent a putative PaCSC marker. In this study, we show that ANTXR1⁺ cells are not only detectable across a panel of 7 PDAC patient-derived xenograft primary cultures but ANTXR1 expression significantly increased in CSC-enriched 3D sphere cultures. Importantly, ANTXR1⁺ cells also coexpressed other known PaCSC markers such as CD44, CD133, and autofluorescence, and ANTXR1⁺ cells displayed enhanced CSC functional and molecular properties, including increased self-renewal and expression of pluripotency-associated genes, compared to ANTXR1⁻ cells. Thus, this study validates ANTXR1 as a new PaCSC marker and we propose its use in identifying CSCs in this tumor type and its exploitation in the development of CSC-targeted therapies for PDAC.

The Molecular Basis of Toxins' Interactions with Intracellular Signaling via Discrete Portals

An understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which microbial, plant or animal-secreted toxins exert their action provides the most important element for assessment of human health risks and opens new insights into therapies addressing a plethora of pathologies, ranging from neurological disorders to cancer, using toxinomimetic agents. Recently, molecular and cellular biology dissecting tools have provided a wealth of information on the action of these diverse toxins, yet, an integrated framework to explain their selective toxicity is still lacking. In this review, specific examples of different toxins are emphasized to illustrate the fundamental mechanisms of toxicity at different biochemical, molecular and cellular- levels with particular consideration for the nervous system. The target of primary action has been highlighted and operationally classified into 13 sub-categories. Selected examples of toxins were assigned to each target category, denominated as portal, and the modulation of the different portal’s signaling was featured. The first portal encompasses the plasma membrane lipid domains, which give rise to pores when challenged for example with pardaxin, a fish toxin, or is subject to degradation when enzymes of lipid metabolism such as phospholipases A₂ (PLA₂) or phospholipase C (PLC) act upon it. Several major portals consist of ion channels, pumps, transporters and ligand gated ionotropic receptors which many toxins act on, disturbing the intracellular ion homeostasis. Another group of portals consists of G-protein-coupled and tyrosine kinase receptors that, upon interaction with discrete toxins, alter second messengers towards pathological levels. Lastly, subcellular organelles such as mitochondria, nucleus, protein- and RNA-synthesis machineries, cytoskeletal networks and exocytic vesicles are also portals targeted and deregulated by other diverse group of toxins. A fundamental concept can be drawn from these seemingly different toxins with respect to the site of action and the secondary messengers and signaling cascades they trigger in the host. While the interaction with the initial portal is largely determined by the chemical nature of the toxin, once inside the cell, several ubiquitous second messengers and protein kinases/ phosphatases pathways are impaired, to attain toxicity. Therefore, toxins represent one of the most promising natural molecules for developing novel therapeutics that selectively target the major cellular portals involved in human physiology and diseases.

Combined inhibition of MEK and mTOR has a synergic effect on angiosarcoma tumorgrafts

Angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare neoplasm of endothelial origin that has limited treatment options and poor five-year survival. Using tumorgraft models, we previously showed that AS is sensitive to small-molecule inhibitors that target mitogen-activated/extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase kinases 1 and 2 (MEK). The objective of this study was to identify drugs that combine with MEK inhibitors to more effectively inhibit AS growth. We examined the in vitro synergy between the MEK inhibitor PD0325901 and inhibitors of eleven common cancer pathways in melanoma cell lines and canine angiosarcoma cell isolates. Combination indices were calculated using the Chou-Talalay method. Optimized combination therapies were evaluated in vivo for toxicity and efficacy using canine angiosarcoma tumorgrafts. Among the drugs we tested, rapamycin stood out because it showed strong synergy with PD0325901 at nanomolar concentrations. We observed that angiosarcomas are insensitive to mTOR inhibition. However, treatment with nanomolar levels of mTOR inhibitor renders these cells as sensitive to MEK inhibition as a melanoma cell line with mutant BRAF. Similar results were observed in B-Raf wild-type melanoma cells as well as in vivo, where treatment of canine AS tumorgrafts with MEK and mTOR inhibitors was more effective than monotherapy. Our data show that a low dose of an mTOR inhibitor can dramatically enhance angiosarcoma and melanoma response to MEK inhibition, potentially widening the field of applications for MEK-targeted therapy.

Ras regulates kinesin 13 family members to control cell migration pathways in transformed human bronchial epithelial cells

We show that expression of the microtubule depolymerizing kinesin KIF2C is induced by transformation of immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells by expression of K-Ras^G12V and knockdown of p53. Further investigation demonstrates that this is due to the K-Ras/ERK1/2 MAPK pathway, as loss of p53 had little effect on KIF2C expression. In addition to KIF2C, we also found that the related kinesin KIF2A is modestly upregulated in this model system; both proteins are expressed more highly in many lung cancer cell lines compared to normal tissue. As a consequence of their depolymerizing activity, these kinesins increase dynamic instability of microtubules. Depletion of either of these kinesins impairs the ability of cells transformed with mutant K-Ras to migrate and invade matrigel. However, depletion of these kinesins does not reverse the epithelial-mesenchymal transition caused by mutant K-Ras. Our studies indicate that increased expression of microtubule destabilizing factors can occur during oncogenesis to support enhanced migration and invasion of tumor cells.

Targeting HER2-positive cancer cells with receptor-redirected anthrax protective antigen

Targeted therapeutics have emerged in recent years as an attractive approach to treating various types of cancer. One approach is to modify a cytocidal protein toxin to direct its action to a specific population of cancer cells. We created a targeted toxin in which the receptor-binding and pore-forming moiety of anthrax toxin, termed Protective Antigen (PA), was modified to redirect its receptor specificity to HER2, a marker expressed at the surface of a significant fraction of breast and ovarian tumors. The resulting fusion protein (mPA-ZHER2) delivered cytocidal effectors specifically into HER2-positive tumor cells, including a trastuzumab-resistant line, causing death of the cells. No off-target killing of HER2-negative cells was observed, either with homogeneous populations or with mixtures of HER2-positive and HER2-negative cells. A mixture of mPA variants targeting different receptors mediated killing of cells bearing either receptor, without affecting cells devoid of these receptors. Anthrax toxin may serve as an effective platform for developing therapeutics to ablate cells bearing HER2 or other tumor-specific cell-surface markers.

The enzymatic activity of apoptosis-inducing factor supports energy metabolism benefiting the growth and invasiveness of advanced prostate cancer cells

Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) promotes cell death yet also controls mitochondrial homeostasis and energy metabolism. It is unclear how these activities are coordinated, and the impact of AIF upon human disease, in particular cancer, is not well documented. In this study we have explored the contribution of AIF to the progression of prostate cancer. Analysis of archival gene expression data demonstrated that AIF transcript levels are elevated in human prostate cancer, and we found that AIF protein is increased in prostate tumors. Suppression of AIF expression in the prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP, DU145, and PC3 demonstrated that AIF does not contribute to cell toxicity via a variety of chemical death triggers, and growth under nutrient-rich conditions is largely unaffected by AIF ablation. However, under growth stress conditions, AIF depletion from DU145 and PC3 cell lines led to significant reductions in cell survival and growth that were not observed in LNCaP cells. Moreover AIF-deficient PC3 cells exhibited substantial reduction of tumorigenic growth in vivo. This reduced survival correlated with decreased expression of mitochondrial complex I protein subunits and concomitant changes in glucose metabolism. Finally, restoration of AIF-deficient PC3 cells with AIF variants demonstrated that the enzymatic activity of AIF is required for aggressive growth. Overall these studies show that AIF is an important factor for advanced prostate cancer cells and that through control of energy metabolism and redox balance, the enzymatic activity of AIF is critical for this support.

Anthrax lethal toxin-induced gene expression changes in mouse lung

A major virulence factor of Bacillus anthracis is the anthrax Lethal Toxin (LeTx), a bipartite toxin composed of Protective Antigen and Lethal Factor. Systemic administration of LeTx to laboratory animals leads to death associated with vascular leakage and pulmonary edema. In this study, we investigated whether systemic exposure of mice to LeTx would induce gene expression changes associated with vascular/capillary leakage in lung tissue. We observed enhanced susceptibility of A/J mice to death by systemic LeTx administration compared to the C57BL/6 strain. LeTx-induced groups of both up- and down-regulated genes were observed in mouse lungs 6 h after systemic administration of wild type toxin compared to lungs of mice exposed to an inactive mutant form of the toxin. Lungs of the less susceptible C57BL/6 strain showed 80% fewer differentially expressed genes compared to lungs of the more sensitive A/J strain. Expression of genes known to regulate vascular permeability was modulated by LeTx in the lungs of the more susceptible A/J strain. Unexpectedly, the largest set of genes with altered expression was immune specific, characterized by the up-regulation of lymphoid genes and the down-regulation of myeloid genes. Transcripts encoding neutrophil chemoattractants, modulators of tumor regulation and angiogenesis were also differentially expressed in both mouse strains. These studies provide new directions for the investigation of vascular leakage and pulmonary edema induced by anthrax LeTx.

Tumor endothelial marker 8 amplifies canonical Wnt signaling in blood vessels

Tumor Endothelial Marker 8/Anthrax Toxin Receptor 1 (TEM8/ANTXR1) expression is induced in the vascular compartment of multiple tumors and therefore, is a candidate molecule to target tumor therapies. This cell surface molecule mediates anthrax toxin internalization, however, its physiological function in blood vessels remains largely unknown. We identified the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) as a model system to study the endogenous function of TEM8 in blood vessels as we found that TEM8 expression was induced transiently between day 10 and 12 of embryonic development, when the vascular tree is undergoing final development and growth. We used the cell-binding component of anthrax toxin, Protective Antigen (PA), to engage endogenous TEM8 receptors and evaluate the effects of PA-TEM8 complexes on vascular development. PA applied at the time of highest TEM8 expression reduced vascular density and disrupted hierarchical branching as revealed by quantitative morphometric analysis of the vascular tree after 48h. PA-dependent reduced branching phenotype was partially mimicked by Wnt3a application and ameliorated by the Wnt antagonist, Dikkopf-1. These results implicate TEM8 expression in endothelial cells in regulating the canonical Wnt signaling pathway at this day of CAM development. Consistent with this model, PA increased beta catenin levels acutely in CAM blood vessels in vivo and in TEM8 transfected primary human endothelial cells in vitro. TEM8 expression in Hek293 cells, which neither express endogenous PA-binding receptors nor Wnt ligands, stabilized beta catenin levels and amplified beta catenin-dependent transcriptional activity induced by Wnt3a. This agonistic function is supported by findings in the CAM, where the increase in TEM8 expression from day 10 to day 12 and PA application correlated with Axin 2 induction, a universal reporter gene for canonical Wnt signaling. We postulate that the developmentally controlled expression of TEM8 modulates endothelial cell response to canonical Wnt signaling to regulate vessel patterning and density.

MEK2 is sufficient but not necessary for proliferation and anchorage-independent growth of SK-MEL-28 melanoma cells

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MKK or MEK) 1 and 2 are usually treated as redundant kinases. However, in assessing their relative contribution towards ERK-mediated biologic response investigators have relied on tests of necessity, not sufficiency. In response we developed a novel experimental model using lethal toxin (LeTx), an anthrax toxin-derived pan-MKK protease, and genetically engineered protease resistant MKK mutants (MKKcr) to test the sufficiency of MEK signaling in melanoma SK-MEL-28 cells. Surprisingly, ERK activity persisted in LeTx-treated cells expressing MEK2cr but not MEK1cr. Microarray analysis revealed non-overlapping downstream transcriptional targets of MEK1 and MEK2, and indicated a substantial rescue effect of MEK2cr on proliferation pathways. Furthermore, LeTx efficiently inhibited the cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth of SK-MEL-28 cells expressing MKK1cr but not MEK2cr. These results indicate in SK-MEL-28 cells MEK1 and MEK2 signaling pathways are not redundant and interchangeable for cell proliferation. We conclude that in the absence of other MKK, MEK2 is sufficient for SK-MEL-28 cell proliferation. MEK1 conditionally compensates for loss of MEK2 only in the presence of other MKK.

Targeting the anthrax receptors, TEM-8 and CMG-2, for anti-angiogenic therapy

The anthrax toxin receptors tumor endothelial marker-8 (TEM-8) and capillary morphogenesis gene-2 (CMG-2) are responsible for allowing entry of anthrax toxin into host cells. These receptors were first discovered due to their enhanced expression on endothelial cells undergoing blood vessel growth or angiogenesis in model systems. Inhibition of angiogenesis is an important strategy for current anti-cancer therapies and treatment of retinal diseases. Functional roles for TEM-8 and CMG-2 in angiogenesis have recently emerged. TEM-8 appears to regulate endothelial cell migration and tubule formation whereas a role for CMG-2 in endothelial proliferation has been documented. TEM-8 and CMG-2 bind differentially to extracellular matrix proteins including collagen I, collagen IV and laminin and these properties may be responsible for their apparent roles in regulating endothelial cell behavior during angiogenesis. TEM-8-binding moieties have also been suggested to be useful in selectively targeting anti-angiogenic and anti-tumorigenic therapies to tumor endothelium. Additionally, studies of modified forms of lethal toxin (LeTx) have demonstrated that targeted inhibition of MAPKs within tumor vessels may represent an efficacious anti-angiogenic strategy.

The cell surface structure of tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8) is regulated by the actin cytoskeleton

Tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8) is an integrin-like cell surface protein upregulated on tumor blood vessels and a potential vascular target for cancer therapy. Here, we found that the ability of an anti-TEM8 antibody, clone SB5, to recognize the extracellular domain of TEM8 on the cell surface depends on other host-cell factors. By taking advantage of SB5's ability to distinguish different forms of cell surface TEM8, we identified alpha-smooth muscle actin and transgelin, an actin binding protein, as intracellular factors able to alter TEM8 cell surface structure. Overexpression of either of these proteins in cells converted TEM8 from an SB5-exposed to an SB5-masked form and protected cells from SB5-saporin immunotoxins. Because the predominant form of TEM8 on the cell surface is not recognized by SB5, we also developed a new monoclonal antibody, called AF334, which is able to recognize both the SB5-exposed and the SB5-masked forms of TEM8. AF334-saporin selectively killed TEM8-positive cells independent of TEM8 cell surface structure. These studies reveal that TEM8 exists in different forms at the cell surface, a structure dependent on interactions with components of the actin cytoskeleton, and should aid in the rational design of the most effective diagnostic and therapeutic anti-TEM8 monoclonal antibodies.

Spore-forming Bacilli and Clostridia in human disease

Many Gram-positive spore-forming bacteria in the Firmicute phylum are important members of the human commensal microbiota, which, in rare cases, cause opportunistic infections. Other spore-formers, however, have evolved to become dedicated pathogens that can cause a striking variety of diseases. Despite variations in disease presentation, the etiologic agent is often the spore, with bacterially produced toxins playing a central role in the pathophysiology of infection. This review will focus on the specific diseases caused by spores of the Clostridia and Bacilli.

Consequences and utility of the zinc-dependent metalloprotease activity of anthrax lethal toxin

Anthrax is caused by the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The pathogenesis of this disease is dependent on the presence of two binary toxins, edema toxin (EdTx) and lethal toxin (LeTx). LeTx, the major virulence factor contributing to anthrax, contains the effector moiety lethal factor (LF), a zinc-dependent metalloprotease specific for targeting mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases. This review will focus on the protease-specific activity and function of LF, and will include a discussion on the implications and consequences of this activity, both in terms of anthrax disease, and how this activity can be exploited to gain insight into other pathologic conditions.

Inhibition of tumor angiogenesis by the matrix metalloproteinase-activated anthrax lethal toxin in an orthotopic model of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

Patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) typically succumb to their disease months after diagnosis despite aggressive therapy. A large percentage of ATCs have been shown to harbor the V600E B-Raf point mutation, leading to the constitutive activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. ATC invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis are in part dependent on the gelatinase class of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). The explicit targeting of these two tumor markers may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ATC. The MMP-activated anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx), a novel recombinant protein toxin combination, shows potent mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway inhibition in gelatinase-expressing V600E B-Raf tumor cells in vitro. However, preliminary in vivo studies showed that the MMP-activated LeTx also exhibited dramatic antitumor activity against xenografts that did not show significant antiproliferative responses to the LeTx in vitro. Here, we show that the MMP-activated LeTx inhibits orthotopic ATC xenograft progression in both toxin-sensitive and toxin-resistant ATC cells via reduced endothelial cell recruitment and subsequent tumor vascularization. This in turn translates to an improved long-term survival that is comparable with that produced by the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib. Our results also indicate that therapy with the MMP-activated LeTx is extremely effective against advanced tumors with well-established vascular networks. Taken together, these results suggest that the MMP-activated LeTx-mediated endothelial cell targeting is the primary in vivo antitumor mechanism of this novel toxin. Therefore, the MMP-activated LeTx could be used not only in the clinical management of V600E B-Raf ATC but potentially in any solid tumor.

DNA vaccine against tumor endothelial marker 8 inhibits tumor angiogenesis and growth

Numerous evidences indicated that angiogenesis was a crucial step in the development of tumor, thus the immunotherapy of antiangiogenesis has been involved as potentially relevant candidate targets of cancer immunotherapy. Recently, tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8) was discovered to be dominantly expressed in tumor endothelium, which presented a new strategy to antiangiogenesis therapy. However, up to date, the related study of TEM8 on antiangiogenesis is very few. In this study, we constructed a xenogenic DNA vaccine encoding human TEM8 carried by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium. The results demonstrated that oral administration of this xenogenic vaccine overcame peripheral immune tolerance and generated TEM8-specific CD8 cytotoxic T-cell response. Moreover, this vaccine effectively protected mice from lethal challenges against tumor cells, reducing tumor growth, and increasing the mice life span. In addition, angiogenesis in the tumors was suppressed without obvious side effect. These results indicated that DNA vaccine encoding xenogenic TEM8 might act as a potential strategy for antiangiogenesis immunotherapy of tumors.

Perturbation of mouse retinal vascular morphogenesis by anthrax lethal toxin

Lethal factor, the enzymatic moiety of anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) is a protease that inactivates mitogen activated protein kinase kinases (MEK or MKK). In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate LeTx targets endothelial cells. However, the effects of LeTx on endothelial cells are incompletely characterized. To gain insight into this process we used a developmental model of vascularization in the murine retina. We hypothesized that application of LeTx would disrupt normal retinal vascularization, specifically during the angiogenic phase of vascular development. By immunoblotting and immunofluorescence microscopy we observed that MAPK activation occurs in a spatially and temporally regulated manner during retinal vascular development. Intravitreal administration of LeTx caused an early delay (4 d post injection) in retinal vascular development that was marked by reduced penetration of vessels into distal regions of the retina as well as failure of sprouting vessels to form the deep and intermediate plexuses within the inner retina. In contrast, later stages (8 d post injection) were characterized by the formation of abnormal vascular tufts that co-stained with phosphorylated MAPK in the outer retinal region. We also observed a significant increase in the levels of secreted VEGF in the vitreous 4 d and 8 d after LeTx injection. In contrast, the levels of over 50 cytokines other cytokines, including bFGF, EGF, MCP-1, and MMP-9, remained unchanged. Finally, co-injection of VEGF-neutralizing antibodies significantly decreased LeTx-induced neovascular growth. Our studies not only reveal that MAPK signaling plays a key role in retinal angiogenesis but also that perturbation of MAPK signaling by LeTx can profoundly alter vascular morphogenesis.

Croix B. Host-derived tumor endothelial marker 8 promotes the growth of melanoma

Tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8) was initially identified as a gene overexpressed in the vasculature of human tumors and was subsequently identified as an anthrax toxin receptor. To assess the functional role of TEM8, we disrupted the TEM8 gene in mice by targeted homologous recombination. TEM8(-/-) mice were viable and reached adulthood without defects in physiologic angiogenesis. However, histopathologic analysis revealed an excess of extracellular matrix in several tissues, including the ovaries, uterus, skin, and periodontal ligament of the incisors, the latter resulting in dental dysplasia. When challenged with B16 melanoma, tumor growth was delayed in TEM8(-/-) mice, whereas the growth of other tumors, such as Lewis lung carcinoma, was unaltered. These studies show that host-derived TEM8 promotes the growth of certain tumors and suggest that TEM8 antagonists may have utility in the development of new anticancer therapies.

Cellular and systemic effects of anthrax lethal toxin and edema toxin

Anthrax lethal toxin (LT) and edema toxin (ET) are the major virulence factors of anthrax and can replicate the lethality and symptoms associated with the disease. This review provides an overview of our current understanding of anthrax toxin effects in animal models and the cytotoxicity (necrosis and apoptosis) induced by LT in different cells. A brief reexamination of early historic findings on toxin in vivo effects in the context of our current knowledge is also presented.

Matrix metalloproteinase-activated anthrax lethal toxin inhibits endothelial invasion and neovasculature formation during in vitro morphogenesis

Solid tumor growth is dependent on angiogenesis, the formation of neovasculature from existing vessels. Endothelial activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, c-jun NH(2)-terminal kinase, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways is central to this process, and thus presents an attractive target for the development of angiogenesis inhibitors. Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) has potent catalytic mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition activity. Preclinical studies showed that LeTx induced potent tumor growth inhibition via the inhibition of xenograft vascularization. However, LeTx receptors and the essential furin-like activating proteases are expressed in many normal tissues, potentially limiting the specificity of LeTx as an antitumor agent. To circumvent nonspecific LeTx activation and simultaneously enhance tumor vascular targeting, a substrate preferably cleaved by the gelatinases class of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) was substituted for the furin LeTx activation site. In vivo efficacy studies showed that this MMP-activated LeTx inhibited tumor xenografts growth via the reduced migration of endothelial cells into the tumor parenchyma. Here we have expanded on these initial findings by showing that this MMP-activated LeTx reduces endothelial proangiogenic MMP expression, thus causing a diminished proteolytic capacity for extracellular matrix remodeling and endothelial differentiation into capillary networks. Additionally, our data suggest that inhibition of the c-jun NH(2)-terminal kinase and p38, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2, pathways is significant in the antiangiogenic activity of the MMP-activated LeTx. Collectively, these results support the clinical development of the MMP-activated LeTx for the treatment of solid tumors.

Transcriptional and apoptotic responses of THP-1 cells to challenge with toxigenic, and non-toxigenic Bacillus anthracis

Background

Bacillus anthracis secretes several virulence factors targeting different host organs and cell types during inhalational anthrax infection. The bacterial expression of a key virulence factor, lethal toxin (LeTx) is closely tied to another factor, edema toxin (EdTx). Both are transcribed on the same virulence plasmid (pXO1) and both have been the subject of much individual study. Their combined effect during virulent anthrax likely modulates both the global transcriptional and the phenotypic response of macrophages and phagocytes. In fact, responses brought about by the toxins may be different than each of their individual effects.

Results

Here we report the transcriptional and apoptotic responses of the macrophage-like phagocytic cell line THP-1 exposed to B. anthracis Sterne (pXO1⁺) spores, and B. anthracis Δ Sterne (pXO1^-) spores. These cells are resistant to LeTx-induced cytolysis, a phenotype seen in macrophages from several mouse strains which are sensitive to toxigenic anthrax infection. Our results indicate that the pXO1-containing strain induces higher pro-inflammatory transcriptional responses during the first 4 hours of interaction with bacterium, evident in the upregulation of several genes relevant to Nf-κB, phosphatases, prostaglandins, and TNF-α, along with decreases in expression levels of genes for mitochondrial components. Both bacterial strains induce apoptosis, but in the toxigenic strain-challenged cells, apoptosis is delayed.

Conclusion

This delay in apoptosis occurs despite the much higher level of TNF-α secretion induced by the toxigenic-strain challenge. Interestingly, CFLAR, an important apoptotic inhibitor which blocks apoptosis induced by large amounts of extracellular TNF-α, is upregulated significantly during toxigenic-strain infection, but not at all during non-toxigenic-strain infection, indicating that it may play a role in blocking or delaying TNF-α-mediated apoptosis. The suppression of apoptosis by the toxigenic anthrax strain is consistent with the notion that apoptosis itself may represent a protective host cell response.

Cytotoxicity of the matrix metalloproteinase-activated anthrax lethal toxin is dependent on gelatinase expression and B-RAF status in human melanoma cells

Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) shows potent mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway inhibition and apoptosis in melanoma cells that harbor the activating V600E B-RAF mutation. LeTx is composed of two proteins, protective antigen and lethal factor. Uptake of the toxin into cells is dependent on proteolytic activation of protective antigen by the ubiquitously expressed furin or furin-like proteases. To circumvent nonspecific LeTx activation, a substrate preferably cleaved by gelatinases was substituted for the furin LeTx activation site. Here, we have shown that the toxicity of this matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-activated LeTx is dependent on host cell surface MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity as well as the presence of the activating V600E B-RAF mutation, making this toxin dual specific. This additional layer of tumor cell specificity would potentially decrease systemic toxicity from the reduction of nonspecific toxin activation while retaining antitumor efficacy in patients with V600E B-RAF melanomas. Moreover, our results indicate that cell surface-associated gelatinase expression can be used to predict sensitivity among V600E B-RAF melanomas. This finding will aid in the better selection of patients that will potentially respond to MMP-activated LeTx therapy.

RNAi-mediated ERK2 knockdown inhibits growth of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo

The MAPK MEK/ERK pathway is often upregulated in cancer cells and represents an attractive target for development of anticancer drugs. Only few data concerning the specific functions of ERK1 and 2 are reported in the literature. In this report, we investigated the specific role of ERK1 and 2 in liver tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. DNA synthesis and cells in S phase analysed by flow cytometry, correlated with strong inhibition of Cdk1 and cyclin E levels, are strongly reduced after exposure to the MEK inhibitor, U0126. We obtained a significant reduction of colony formation in soft agar assays and a reduction in the size of tumor xenografts in nude mice treated with U0126. Then, we could specifically abolished ERK1 or 2 expression by small-interfering RNA (siRNA) and demonstrated that ERK2 knockdown but not ERK1 interferes with the process of replication. Moreover, we found that colony formation and tumor growth in vivo were significantly inhibited by targeting ERK2 using stable chemically modified siRNA. Taken together, our results emphasize the importance of the MEK/ERK pathway in liver cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo and argue for a crucial role of ERK2 in this regulation.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase signaling promotes growth and vascularization of fibrosarcoma

We hypothesized that signaling through multiple mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MKK) pathways is essential for the growth and vascularization of soft-tissue sarcomas, which are malignant tumors derived from mesenchymal tissues. We tested this using HT-1080, NCI, and Shac fibrosarcoma-derived cell lines and anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx), a bacterial toxin that inactivates MKKs. Western blots confirmed that LeTx treatment reduced the levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 MAPK in vitro. Although short treatments with LeTx only modestly affected cell proliferation, sustained treatment markedly reduced cell numbers. LeTx also substantially inhibited the extracellular release of angioproliferative factors including vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-8, and basic fibroblast growth factor. Similar results were obtained with cell lines derived from malignant fibrous histiocytomas, leiomyosarcomas, and liposarcomas. In vivo, LeTx decreased MAPK activity and blocked fibrosarcoma growth. Growth inhibition correlated with decreased cellular proliferation and extensive necrosis, and it was accompanied by a decrease in tumor mean vessel density as well as a reduction in serum expression of angioproliferative cytokines. Vital imaging using high-resolution ultrasound enhanced with contrast microbubbles revealed that the effects of LeTx on tumor perfusion were remarkably rapid (<24 h) and resulted in a marked reduction of perfusion within the tumor but not in nontumor tissues. These results are consistent with our initial hypothesis and lead us to propose that MKK inhibition by LeTx is a broadly effective strategy for targeting neovascularization in fibrosarcomas and other similar proliferative lesions.

Inhibition of MAPK kinase signaling pathways suppressed renal cell carcinoma growth and angiogenesis in vivo

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways play essential roles in cell proliferation and differentiation. Recent studies also show the activation of MAPK signaling pathways in tumorigenesis, metastasis, and angiogenesis of multiple human malignancies, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). To assess the role of this pathway in regulating the proliferation and survival of RCC cells, we first examined the expression of MAPK kinase (MKK) and MAPK in clear cell RCC and confirmed the overexpression of MKK1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) in these tumors. We then tested the effects of pharmacologic inhibition of MKK on human RCC cell lines, both in vitro and in vivo, using anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx), which cleaves and inactivates several MKKs. Western blotting showed that the phosphorylation levels of ERK, c-Jun-NH(2) kinase, and p38 MAPK decreased after 72 h of LeTx treatment. Exposure to LeTx for 72 h reduced cell proliferation by 20% without significant effects on cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. Anchorage-independent growth of RCC cells was dramatically inhibited by LeTx. In vivo studies showed that tumor growth of RCC xenografts could be suppressed by LeTx. Extensive necrosis and decreased tumor neovascularization were observed after LeTx treatment. LeTx also showed direct inhibition of proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro. Our results suggest that suppression of one or more MAPK signaling pathways may inhibit RCC growth through the disruption of tumor vasculature.

Anthrax lethal toxin inhibits growth of and vascular endothelial growth factor release from endothelial cells expressing the human herpes virus 8 viral G protein coupled receptor

PURPOSE

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MKK) inhibits tumor growth by acting on angiogenic signaling and by extension may form the basis of an effective strategy for treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Murine endothelial cells expressing the human herpes virus 8 G protein-coupled receptor (vGPCR-SVEC) were treated with anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx). LeTx is a binary toxin ordinarily secreted by Bacillus anthracis and is composed of two proteins: protective antigen (the binding moiety) and lethal factor (the active moiety). Lethal factor is a protease that cleaves and inactivates MKKs.

RESULTS

In vitro, treatment of vGPCR-SVEC with LeTx inhibited MKK signaling, moderately inhibited cell proliferation, and blocked the ability of these cells to form colonies in soft agar. Treatment with LeTx also blocked the ability of these cells to release several angioproliferative cytokines, notably vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In contrast, inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 with U0126 caused a substantial inhibition of proliferation but only modestly inhibited VEGF release. In xenograft models, i.v. injection of LeTx caused reduced tumor growth characterized immunohistochemically by inhibition of MKK signaling, decreased rates of proliferation, and reduced levels of VEGF and VEGF receptor 2, with a corresponding decrease in vascular density.

CONCLUSIONS

These data support a role for MKK signaling in tumor growth and vascularization and are consistent with the hypothesis that inhibition of MKK signaling by LeTx or a similar agent may be an effective strategy for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma as well as other vascular tumors.

Expression of VACM-1/cul5 mutant in endothelial cells induces MAPK phosphorylation and maspin degradation and converts cells to the angiogenic phenotype

Vasopressin-activated calcium mobilizing receptor (VACM-1) is a member of the cullin gene family involved in ubiquitin-proteosome dependent regulation of cellular functions. Expression of VACM-1 cDNA in cos-1 cells in vitro decreases basal cAMP levels and inhibits growth. The expression of (S730A)VACM-1 mutant cDNA, which removes PKA-dependent phosphorylation site in the VACM-1 cDNA sequence, reverses this phenotype. Since the expression of VACM-1 protein in vivo localizes largely to the vascular endothelial cells, in this study, we examined the effects of (S730A)VACM-1 cDNA expression on cellular signaling in the rat endothelial cell line RAMEC. Our results indicate that expression of (S730A)VACM-1 cDNA in RAMEC promotes cellular proliferation and induces angiogenic growth patterns. Western blot analyses indicate that (S730A)VACM-1 cDNA transfected cells express increased levels of Nedd8 modified VACM-1 and have higher levels of phosphorylated MAPK protein when compared to controls. Furthermore, expression of (S730A)VACM-1 cDNA induces translocation of the endogenous early response gene, egr-1, to the nucleus and leads to morphological changes that involve actin rearrangement. Finally, expression of (S730A)VACM-1 cDNA in RAMEC decreases concentration of maspin, a putative anti-angiogenic factor with a tumor suppressor activity. These results show that VACM-1 protein regulates endothelial cell growth and may modulate angiogenesis by a mechanism that involves MAPK phosphorylation, nuclear localization of egr-1, maspin expression, and actin polymerization.

Targeting the Raf-MEK-ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade for the treatment of cancer

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are key signaling pathways involved in the regulation of normal cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. Aberrant regulation of MAPK cascades contribute to cancer and other human diseases. In particular, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) MAPK pathway has been the subject of intense research scrutiny leading to the development of pharmacologic inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. ERK is a downstream component of an evolutionarily conserved signaling module that is activated by the Raf serine/threonine kinases. Raf activates the MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK)1/2 dual-specificity protein kinases, which then activate ERK1/2. The mutational activation of Raf in human cancers supports the important role of this pathway in human oncogenesis. Additionally, the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway is a key downstream effector of the Ras small GTPase, the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancers. Finally, Ras is a key downstream effector of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is mutationally activated and/or overexpressed in a wide variety of human cancers. ERK activation also promotes upregulated expression of EGFR ligands, promoting an autocrine growth loop critical for tumor growth. Thus, the EGFR-Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling network has been the subject of intense research and pharmaceutical scrutiny to identify novel target-based approaches for cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the current status of the different approaches and targets that are under evaluation and development for the therapeutic intervention of this key signaling pathway in human disease.

Anthrax edema toxin inhibits endothelial cell chemotaxis via Epac and Rap1

Angiogenesis involves the assembly of endothelial cells into capillaries from a pre-existing vasculature. Because abnormal angiogenesis is a hallmark of many cancers, it is critical to find factors that control this process. Endothelial cells are enriched in the anthrax receptor; we therefore determined the effect of anthrax edema toxin (ET), an adenylyl cyclase, on chemotaxis. cAMP generated by ET does not block proliferation or survival but causes cytoskeletal changes and inhibits chemotaxis by primary human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs). These effects are due to the action of a downstream cAMP effector, Epac, a guanine nucleotide exchange-activating protein for Rap1 (RAP1-GEF). ET induces transcription of Epac-related activators of Rap1, Epac2 (RapGEF4), and MR-GEF/RapGEF5. Similar to ET, activated Epac or Rap1 induces cytoskeletal changes and blocks chemotaxis in human endothelial cells. These results identify Epac and Rap1 as key regulators of signaling cascades leading to endothelial cell chemotaxis.

MKK signaling and vascularization

In 1998, George Vande Woude's lab discovered that anthrax lethal factor (LF), the principal virulence component of anthrax toxin, was a zinc-metalloprotease that cleaved and inactivated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MKK). It was perhaps not surprising, given the known roles of MKK1 and 2 in cell proliferation, that LF was subsequently found to dramatically inhibit tumor growth in vivo. What was not anticipated, however, was that the tumors treated with LF would have a substantially reduced vascular content. This intriguing result was one of the first indications that MKK signaling plays an important role in promoting tumor vascularization in vivo. In the following short review, we will compare in vitro and in vivo evidence that supports the hypothesis that MKK signaling pathways are essential for vascularization.

Tumour-associated angiogenesis in human colorectal cancer

Tumour angiogenesis is a critical step in the growth, metastatic spread and regrowth of colorectal cancer. Angiogenesis specific to tumour is a complicated process, the mechanisms of which remain unclear. Metastasis of colorectal cancer may result from passive entry into the circulation secondary to the effect of angiogenic factors. The survival and growth of colorectal tumour and thus their metastases are dependent on the balance of endogenous angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors such that the outcome favours increased angiogenesis. Angiogenesis has become an attractive target for anticancer drug development, based on its important roles in tumour growth, invasion and metastasis. Several growth factors have been identified that regulate angiogenesis in colorectal cancer; the most important of these are vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), and of the several angiogenic factors, VEGF expression at the deepest invasive site of tumour is the most statistically significant prognostic indicator in advanced colorectal carcinoma. In this review article, we provide an overview on angiogenic factors and their receptors, and discuss the role of newly identified tumour endothelial markers (TEMs) that are involved in tumour-associated angiogenesis in colorectal cancer.

Alpha-toxin interferes with integrin-mediated adhesion and internalization of Staphylococcus aureus by epithelial cells

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human and animal pathogen. During infection, this bacterium is able to attach to and enter host cells by using its cell surface-associated factors to bind to the host's extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. In this study, we determined that a protein exported by S. aureus, alpha-toxin, can interfere with the integrin-mediated adhesion and internalization of S. aureus by human lung epithelial cells (A549). The downregulation of alpha-toxin production significantly increased bacterial adhesion and invasion into the epithelial cells. In contrast, bacterial adhesion and invasion was inhibited by both overproduction of alpha-toxin and the addition of alpha-toxin to the culture medium. Moreover, our results showed that the quantitative effects on invasion closely parallel those of adherence. This suggests that the effect on invasion is probably secondary to, and a consequence of, the reduced adherence caused by alpha-toxin exposure. Specifically, we demonstrated that alpha-toxin interacts with the hosts' ECM protein's receptor, beta1-integrin, which indicates that beta1-integrin may be a potential receptor of alpha-toxin on epithelial cells. Taken together, our results indicate that exported alpha-toxin inhibits the adhesion and internalization of S. aureus by interfering with integrin-mediated pathogen-host cell interactions.

The effects of a novel MEK inhibitor PD184161 on MEK-ERK signaling and growth in human liver cancer

The MEK-ERK growth signaling pathway is important in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To evaluate the targeting of this pathway in HCC, we characterized a novel, orally-active MEK inhibitor, PD184161, using human HCC cells (HepG2, Hep3B, PLC, and SKHep) and in vivo human tumor xenografts. PD184161 inhibited MEK activity (IC50 = 10-100 nM) in a time- and concentration-dependent manner more effectively than PD098059 or U0126. PD184161 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis at concentrations of > or = 1.0 microM in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In vivo, tumor xenograft P-ERK levels were significantly reduced 3 to 12 hours after an oral dose of PD184161 (P < .05). Contrarily, tumor xenograft P-ERK levels following long-term (24 days) daily dosing of PD184161 were refractory to this signaling effect. PD184161 significantly suppressed tumor engraftment and initial growth (P < .0001); however, established tumors were not significantly affected. In conclusion, PD184161 has antitumor effects in HCC in vitro and in vivo that appear to correlate with suppression of MEK activity. These studies demonstrate that PD184161 is unable to suppress MEK activity in HCC xenografts in the long term. Thus, we speculate that the degree of success of MEK targeted treatment in HCC and other cancers may, in part, depend on the discovery of mechanisms governing MEK inhibitor signaling resistance.

Assembly and disassembly kinetics of anthrax toxin complexes

Proteolytic activation of the protective antigen (PA) component of anthrax toxin allows it to self-associate into a ring-shaped homoheptamer, [PA(63)](7), which can bind the enzymatic components lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF). [PA(63)](7) is a pore-precursor (prepore), and under the low-pH conditions of the endosome, it forms a transmembrane pore that allows LF and EF to enter the cytosol. PA was labeled with donor and acceptor fluorescent dyes, and Förster resonance energy transfer was used to measure the assembly and disassembly kinetics of the prepore complex in solution. The dissociation rate constant for [PA(63)](7) was 1 x 10(-)(6) s(-)(1) (t(1/2) approximately 7 days). In contrast, a ternary complex containing the PA-binding domain of LF (LF(N)) bound to a PA(63) dimer composed of two nonoligomerizing mutants dissociated rapidly (t(1/2) approximately 1 min). Thus, the substantial decrease in the rate of disassembly of [PA(63)](7) relative to the ternary complex is due to the cooperative interactions among neighboring subunits in the heptameric ring. Low concentrations of LF(N) promoted assembly of the prepore from proteolytically activated PA, whereas high concentrations inhibited assembly of both the prepore and the ternary complex. A self-assembly scheme of anthrax toxin complexes is proposed.

Antitumor efficacy of a urokinase activation–dependent anthrax toxin

Previously, we have generated a potent prodrug consisting of modified anthrax toxins that is activated by urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA). The cytotoxicity of the drug, PrAg-U2 + FP59, is dependent on the presence of receptor-associated uPA activity. Local intradermal administration of PrAg-U2 + FP59 adjacent to the tumor nodules in mice with transplanted solid tumors had a potent antitumor effect. In succession of these experiments, we have now investigated the systemic antitumor efficacy of PrAg-U2 + FP59. C57Bl/6J mice bearing syngenic tumors derived from B16 melanoma, T241 fibrosarcoma, or Lewis lung carcinoma cells were treated with different mass ratios and doses of PrAg-U2 + FP59. Tumor volumes were recorded daily by caliper measurements. In some experiments, dexamethasone was coadministered. Our data show a significant antitumor effect of systemic administration of PrAg-U2 + FP59 in three syngenic tumor models. Optimal antitumor effect and low toxicity was obtained with a 25:1 mass ratio between the two components (PrAg-U2 and FP59). The experiments show that PrAg-U2 + FP59 displays a clear dose-response relationship with regard to both antitumor efficacy and systemic toxicity. Dose-limiting toxicity seemed to be due to activation of the prodrug by uPA and its receptor in the intestinal mucosa. Concurrent treatment with dexamethasone was found to prevent dose-limiting toxicity. Taken together, these data indicate that uPA-activated toxins may be promising candidates for targeted therapy of human cancers that overexpress uPA and its receptor.

TEM-8 and tubule formation in endothelial cells, its potential role of its vW/TM domains

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Tumour endothelial marker-8 (TEM-8) has been found to be selectively up regulated in tumour-associated endothelial cells, it is implicated in tumour specific angiogenesis, but its mechanism in angiogenesis is not defined.

METHODS

A ribozyme transgene (TEM-8) was cloned into a suitable mammalian expression vector (pc DNA 3.1-GFP-NT) and transfected into HECV cells. Various domains of TEM-8 were designed and cloned into pEF6/V5-His TOPO TA vector and transfected into Chinese Hamster ovarian cells (CHO), which do not form tubules and do not express TEM-8 in general (CHO(vW), CHO(TM), CHO(vW/TM), CHO(AE), CHO(AC), CHO(IC), and CHO(FL) domains, respectively). The effect of TEM-8 knocked out HECV cells was tested (by angiogenesis and migration assays), and the effect of each cleavage domain of TEM-8 was tested by microtubule formation assay.

RESULTS

TEM-8 stable transfectants (HECV(DeltaTEM8a)) manifested a complete loss of TEM-8 gene expression at mRNA and protein levels. In contrast, control GFP plasmid (HECV(pControl)) and wild-type HECV cells (HECV(WT)) had similar levels of TEM-8 expression. TEM-8 transfected cell (HECV(DeltaTEM8a)) significantly decreased the micro-vessels formation compared with controls (HECV(pControl)) (mean+/-SE, 20.3+/-4.03 microm; p=0.0086 vs. control 39.5+/-10.1 microm), and migration (38.52+/-2.17; p<0.05 vs. control 80.23+/-3.19), and micro-vessel formation of HECV(DeltaTEM8a) cell was also reduced compared with wild-type (HECV(WT)) (mean+/-SE, 20.3+/-4.03 microm; p=0.0078 vs. wild-type 42.5+/-9.1 microm) and migration (38.52+/-2.17microm; p<0.05 vs. wild-type 82.4+/-4.45 microm). vW together with transmembrane domains of TEM-8 (CHO(vW/TM)) and full-length CHO(FL) showed formation of tubule-like structure in CHO cells, whereas the other domains showed no effect.

CONCLUSION

Targeting the TEM-8 gene by way of a hammerhead ribozyme knocks out TEM-8 cells, and is an effective way to reduce the micro-vessel formation or migration potential in tumour-associated endothelial cell through its vW domain. These results suggest that the vW domain together with the transmembrane domain of TEM-8 may play an important biological role in TEM-8 related tubule formation.

Molecular basis for improved anthrax vaccines

The current vaccine for anthrax has been licensed since 1970 and was developed based on the outcome of human trials conducted in the 1950s. This vaccine, known as anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA), consists of a culture filtrate from an attenuated strain of Bacillus anthracis adsorbed to aluminum salts as an adjuvant. This vaccine is considered safe and effective, but is difficult to produce and is associated with complaints about reactogenicity among users of the vaccine. Much of the work in the past decade on generating a second generation vaccine is based on the observation that antibodies to protective antigen (PA) are crucial in the protection against exposure to virulent anthrax spores. Antibodies to PA are thought to prevent binding to its cellular receptor and subsequent binding of lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF), which are required events for the action of the two toxins: lethal toxin (LeTx) and edema toxin (EdTx). The bacterial capsule as well as the two toxins are virulence factors of B. anthracis. The levels of antibodies to PA must exceed a certain minimal threshold in order to induce and maintain protective immunity. Immunity can be generated by vaccination with purified PA, as well as spores and DNA plasmids that express PA. Although antibodies to PA address the toxemia component of anthrax disease, antibodies to additional virulence factors, including the capsule or somatic antigens in the spore, may be critical in development of complete, sterilizing immunity to anthrax exposure. The next generation anthrax vaccines will be derived from the thorough understanding of the interaction of virulence factors with human and animal hosts and the role the immune response plays in providing protective immunity.

Tumour vascular targeting

It is now accepted that the growth of solid tumours is dependent on their capacity to acquire a blood supply, and much effort has been directed towards the development of agents (known as anti-angiogenics) that disrupt this process. More recently, it has become apparent that targeted destruction of the established tumour vasculature is another avenue for exciting therapeutic opportunities. In this article, we present evidence that vascular targeting is an effective antitumour strategy in animal models, describe strategies for identifying putative tumour vascular targets and discuss future prospects for vascular targeting in the clinic.

Proteome analysis of mouse macrophages treated with anthrax lethal toxin

Anthrax toxin produced by Bacillus anthracis is a tripartite toxin comprising of protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF). PA is the receptor-binding component, which facilitates the entry of LF or EF into the cytosol. EF is a calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase that causes edema whereas LF is a zinc metalloprotease and leads to necrosis of macrophages. It is also important to note that the exact mechanism of LF action is still unclear. With this view in mind, in the present study, we investigated a proteome wide effect of anthrax lethal toxin (LT) on mouse macrophage cells (J774A.1). Proteome analysis of LT-treated and control macrophages revealed 41 differentially expressed protein spots, among which phosphoglycerate kinase I, enolase I, ATP synthase (beta subunit), tubulin beta2, gamma-actin, Hsp70, 14-3-3 zeta protein and tyrosine/tryptophan-3-monooxygenase were found to be down-regulated, while T-complex protein-1, vimentin, ERp29 and GRP78 were found to be up-regulated in the LT-treated macrophages. Analysis of up- and down-regulated proteins revealed that primarily the stress response and energy generation proteins play an important role in the LT-mediated macrophage cell death.

Anthrax toxin complexes: heptameric protective antigen can bind lethal factor and edema factor simultaneously

The 83 kDa protective antigen (PA(83)) component of anthrax toxin, after proteolytic activation, self-associates to form ring-shaped heptamers ([PA(63)](7)) that bind and aid delivery of the Edema Factor (EF) and Lethal Factor (LF) components to the cytosol. Here we show using fluorescence (Förster) resonance energy transfer that a molecule of [PA(63)](7) can bind EF and LF simultaneously. We labeled EF and LF with an appropriate donor/acceptor pair and found quenching of the donor and an increase in sensitized emission of the acceptor when, and only when, a mixture of the labeled proteins was combined with [PA(63)](7). Addition of unlabeled PA(63)-binding domain of LF to the mixture competitively displaced labeled EF and LF, causing a loss of energy transfer. In view of the known maximum occupancy of 3 ligand molecules per [PA(63)](7), these findings indicate that PA, EF, and LF can form mixtures of liganded toxin complexes containing both EF and LF.

Anthrax toxins

Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, secretes three polypeptides that assemble into toxic complexes on the cell surfaces of the host it infects. One of these polypeptides, protective antigen (PA), binds to the integrin-like domains of ubiquitously expressed membrane proteins of mammalian cells. PA is then cleaved by membrane endoproteases of the furin family. Cleaved PA molecules assemble into heptamers, which can then associate with the two other secreted polypeptides: edema factor (EF) and/or lethal factor (LF). The heptamers of PA are relocalized to lipid rafts where they are quickly endocytosed and routed to an acidic compartment. The low pH triggers a conformational change in the heptamers, resulting in the formation of cation-specific channels and the translocation of EF/LF. EF is a calcium- and calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase that dramatically raises the intracellular concentration of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). LF is a zinc-dependent endoprotease that cleaves the amino terminus of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (Meks). Cleaved Meks cannot bind to their substrates and have reduced kinase activity, resulting in alterations of the signaling pathways they govern. The structures of PA, PA heptamer, EF, and LF have been solved and much is now known about the molecular details of the intoxication mechanism. The in vivo action of the toxins, on the other hand, is still poorly understood and hotly debated. A better understanding of the toxins will help in the design of much-needed anti-toxin drugs and the development of new toxin-based medical applications.

Tumor endothelial markers: new targets for cancer therapy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Targeting the endothelial cells that line tumor infiltrating blood vessels is a new anticancer strategy that has gained widespread support from biologists and clinicians. Here we highlight different approaches currently being used to target tumor endothelium and discuss new avenues for intervention that have been opened through the recent identification of tumor endothelial markers (TEMs).

RECENT FINDINGS

The ability of Avastin to prolong survival in a Phase III clinical trial of human colorectal cancer has established the validity of the anti-angiogenic approach. However, realization of the full potential of a vascular targeting strategy may require the exploitation of molecules which are highly restricted in expression to tumor endothelium. Here we explore the potential of TEMs as new targets for cancer therapy. Current knowledge of these markers and their relation to other family members in the context of tumor angiogenesis is discussed. In particular, we highlight those molecules which, by virtue of their structure, cell-surface location and expression pattern, appear to hold promise as targets for future drug development. The identification of TEM8 as the anthrax toxin receptor and the successful targeting of this receptor in preclinical tumor models make this molecule a particularly attractive candidate for future vascular targeting studies.

SUMMARY

Technological advances in cellular fractionation and genomics enabled the identification of several markers preferentially expressed on human tumor endothelium. Studies of these TEMs are expected to aid in our understanding of angiogenesis and could lead to the development of new imaging and diagnostic agents for cancer.

Anthrax lethal factor-cleavage products of MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) kinases exhibit reduced binding to their cognate MAPKs

Anthrax lethal toxin is the major cause of death in systemic anthrax. Lethal toxin consists of two proteins: protective antigen and LF (lethal factor). Protective antigen binds to a cell-surface receptor and transports LF into the cytosol. LF is a metalloprotease that targets MKKs [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) kinases]/MEKs [MAPK/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinases], cleaving them to remove a small N-terminal stretch but leaving the bulk of the protein, including the protein kinase domain, intact. LF-mediated cleavage of MEK1 and MKK6 has been shown to inhibit signalling through their cognate MAPK pathways. However, the precise mechanism by which this proteolytic cleavage inhibits signal transmission has been unclear. Here we show that the C-terminal LF-cleavage products of MEK1, MEK2, MKK3, MKK4, MKK6 and MKK7 are impaired in their ability to bind to their MAPK substrates, suggesting a common mechanism for the LF-induced inhibition of signalling.

TEM8 interacts with the cleaved C5 domain of collagen alpha 3(VI)

Tumor endothelial marker (TEM)8 was uncovered as a gene expressed predominantly in tumor endothelium, and its protein product was recently identified as the receptor for anthrax toxin. Here, we demonstrate that TEM8 protein is preferentially expressed in endothelial cells of neoplastic tissue. We used the extracellular domain of TEM8 to search for ligands and identified the alpha 3 subunit of collagen VI as an interacting partner. The TEM8-interacting region on collagen alpha 3(VI) was mapped to its COOH-terminal C5 domain. Remarkably, collagen alpha 3(VI) is also preferentially expressed in tumor endothelium in a pattern concordant with that of TEM8. These results suggest that the TEM8/C5 interaction may play an important biological role in tumor angiogenesis.

Topical Treatment with Inhibitors of the Phosphatidylinositol 3′-Kinase/Akt and Raf/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase/Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Pathways Reduces Melanoma Development in Severe Combined Immunodeficient Mice

Topical treatment with inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt and Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways inhibited the growth of TPras transgenic melanomas in severe combined immunodeficient mice, blocked invasive behavior, and reduced angiogenesis. The inhibitor Ly294002, which is specific for phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase, effectively reduced melanoma cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Both Ly294002 and U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibitor, reduced invasion, which correlated with reduction of the metalloproteinase matrix metalloproteinase 2. Tumor angiogenesis was disrupted through inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor production from the tumor cells and antiangiogenic effects on endothelial cells. Observations with TPras melanoma cells that express dominant negative Deltap85 or kinase-inactive Raf(301) supported the specificity of the phenomena observed with the chemical inhibitors. These studies demonstrate that topical treatment targeting Ras effectors is efficacious, without systemic toxicities, and may prove to be useful in treating and preventing the progression of cutaneous melanoma.

Anthrax toxin

Anthrax toxin consists of three nontoxic proteins that associate in binary or ternary combinations to form toxic complexes at the surface of mammalian cells. One of these proteins, protective antigen (PA), transports the other two, edema factor (EF) and lethal factor (LF), to the cytosol. LF is a Zn2+-protease that cleaves certain MAP kinase kinases, leading to death of the host via a poorly defined sequence of events. EF, a calmodulin- and Ca2+-dependent adenylate cyclase, is responsible for the edema seen in the disease. Both enzymes are believed to benefit the bacteria by inhibiting cells of the host's innate immune system. Assembly of toxic complexes begins after PA binds to cellular receptors and is cleaved into two fragments by furin proteases. The smaller fragment dissociates, allowing the receptor-bound fragment, PA63 (63 kDa), to self-associate and form a ring-shaped, heptameric pore precursor (prepore). The prepore binds up to three molecules of EF and/or LF, and the resulting complexes are endocytosed and trafficked to an acidic compartment. There, the prepore converts to a transmembrane pore, mediating translocation of EF and LF to the cytosol. Recent studies have revealed (a) the identity of receptors; (b) crystallographic structures of the three toxin proteins and the heptameric PA63 prepore; and (c) information about toxin assembly, entry, and action within the cytosol. Knowledge of the structure and mode of action of the toxin has unveiled potential applications in medicine, including approaches to treating anthrax infections.

Anthrax lethal toxin induces human endothelial cell apoptosis

Because of its ease of dispersal and high lethality, Bacillus anthracis is one of the most feared biowarfare agents. A better understanding of anthrax pathogenesis is urgently needed to develop new therapies for systemic disease that is relatively unresponsive to antibiotics. Although experimental evidence has implicated a role for macrophages in anthrax pathogenesis, clinical and pathological observations suggest that a direct insult to the host vasculature may also be important. Two bacterial toxins, lethal toxin and edema toxin, are believed to mediate the clinical sequelae of anthrax. Here, I examined whether these toxins are directly toxic to endothelial cells, the cell type that lines the interior of blood vessels. I show for the first time that lethal toxin but not edema toxin reduces the viability of cultured human endothelial cells and induces caspase-dependent endothelial apoptosis. In addition, this toxicity affects both microvascular and large vessel endothelial cells as well as endothelial cells that have differentiated into tubules within a type I collagen extracellular matrix. Finally, lethal toxin induces cleavage of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases in endothelial cells and inhibits phosphorylation of ERK, p38, and JNK p46. Based on the contributions of these pathways to endothelial survival, I propose that lethal toxin-mediated cytotoxicity/apoptosis results primarily through inhibition of the ERK pathway. I also hypothesize that the observed endothelial toxicity contributes to vascular pathology and hemorrhage during systemic anthrax.